But neighborhood opposition cites noise, waste

MILFORD >> A small group of residents is continuing to move forward with a mission to build an $80,000 dog park in Devon, although at least one neighbor is fighting it.

The proposed site is Edgemont Park, which borders the Margaret Egan Center parking lot, off Matthews Street.

“This is going to be state of the art,” said state Rep. Kim Rose, D-Milford, a West Shore resident and dog owner.

The residents are planning a double-gated entry, a separate area for small dogs, and an underground water source. They’d also like to see agility areas and educational programs, Devon Bark Park President Jane M. Doyle said.

The city would be responsible for maintenance, while members will raise funds for equipment, Doyle said.

A community garden is also eyed for the site, but a garden master is needed “to get the project off the ground,” Rose said.

If approved by the Park, Beach and Recreation Commission, the Devon Bark Park would be the city’s second. Milford has a fenced dog park at the 220-acre Eisenhower Park, 1000 W. River St., which Rose said was “muddy.”

The two-part idea has drawn opposition from at least one neighbor. Michael Prete, a resident of South Woodland Drive, which overlooks the park, said he is an animal lover, but has issues with pet owners.

It’s the owners’ responsibility to provide dogs with exercise space, he said.

While some owners are respectful of private property, others allow pets to “poop” on, dig in and damage neighborhood grass and shrubbery, he said. Dog owners park in front of houses and block driveways, he said in a recent email.

“They come from all over, not just Milford, and infringe on our rights as taxpayers for calm and cleanliness,” Prete said.

Many owners pick up the dogs’ waste, put it into plastic bags, and throw the bags into nearby woods, he said.

“They treat our area like it’s a dumping site. I picked up hundreds of bags in the woods this past summer across the street from me and continue to do so,” he said.

“Can you also imagine the barking (noise pollution) that would go on when all these dogs get together? Would you want all these things going on right across the street from your house after having it so quiet for 27 years?” Prete said.

He said he and other neighbors are gathering a petition and will pursue legal avenues, as necessary, to stop the dog park from locating nearby. Prete said he has also contacted local and federal officials.

The park is “wet most of the time,” Prete said. It is part of the Housatonic River estuary, he said. He is against gardening at the park because of “chemical use.”

There would be more than 50 garden plots and a wetlands area for plants that “like to be a little wet around the roots,” said Emmaline Harrigan, assistant city planner. Palumbo said portions would still be used as a park.